The Junior Doctors’ Association of Ghana (JDA-GH) has declared a nationwide withdrawal of services starting next week, citing “months of neglect and unfair treatment” by the government and the Ministry of Health.
The decision, outlined in a press release dated October 2, 2025, follows what the Associati on describes as repeated failed engagements with authorities.
The JDA-GH highlights critical issues fueling the strike:
- Unpaid Salaries: Over 200 junior doctors have worked for between 10 to 14 months without receiving any salary.
- Payroll Freeze: Several medical officers already on the government payroll have had their salaries abruptly stopped without explanation.
- Unposted Graduates: More than 800 medical officers have been awaiting posting for over a year and four months.
Phased Withdrawal of Services
The strike action will be rolled out in two phases, severely impacting healthcare delivery across the country:
- Phase One (Outpatient Services): All outpatient services will be withdrawn, effective Tuesday, October 7, 2025, to Thursday, October 9, 2025.
- Phase Two (Emergency Services): If issues are not resolved, the withdrawal will escalate to include emergency services starting Friday, October 10, 2025, until further notice.
During the strike, the JDA-GH states that while existing inpatients will continue to be managed until their discharge, no new cases will be admitted into hospitals.
The Association expressed that the continued exploitation of its members will no longer be tolerated and placed the sole responsibility for any disruption to healthcare services “squarely” on the Ministry of Health and the Government of Ghana. The release concluded with a call for all stakeholders to intervene immediately to resolve the crisis.
The press release was jointly signed by the President of the JDA, Dr. (Med) Louis Aja Nkrumah, and the General Secretary, Dr. (Med) Rhoda Wun-nam Amadu.
Read the full release below:
